The New Oxford Book of English ProseJohn Gross Oxford University Press, 1998 - 1012 pages Prose, strictly defined, is the ordinary form of spoken or written language. Examples of solid prose are not difficult to come by: a well argued legal judgment, a lucid scientific paper, or a readily grasped set of technical instructions. Inspired prose, however, is a much rarer thing. In The New Oxford Book of English Prose, John Gross has gathered together those rare jewels of the English language that take plain prose to artistic heights. The pared-down style of Hemingway didnt happen overnight. Beginning with Sir Thomas Malory and ending with Kazuo Ishiguro, this anthology chronologically traces the evolution of prose, which gained confidence and extended its range in the late seventeenth century. It wasnt until the eighteenth century, however, that the ornate style of literary giants like Milton and Donne gave way to prose that was recognizably modern. The material included in this anthology is literary, but literary, as the editor states in the introduction, is not the narrow term that it is often made to beit embraces an enormous range of experience and response. The New Oxford Book of English Prose pays tribute to literatures vibrant diversity by offering glimpses of master craftsmanship from around the globe. Included here are excerpts from writers of such varied backgrounds as Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood, Vladimir Nabokov, and Mulk Raj Anand. From the eloquent political treatises of Burke to the bold narrative strokes of Herman Melville, readers will find that the selections contained within this volume superbly illustrate the expressive powers of prose. |
From inside the book
Results 1-3 of 62
Page 202
... seemed to be , as it were , a calm , sweet cast , or appearance of divine glory , in almost everything . God's excellency , His wisdom , His purity and love , seemed to appear in everything : in the sun , moon and stars ; in the clouds ...
... seemed to be , as it were , a calm , sweet cast , or appearance of divine glory , in almost everything . God's excellency , His wisdom , His purity and love , seemed to appear in everything : in the sun , moon and stars ; in the clouds ...
Page 569
... seemed to him - by the pain of a sharp pressure upon his throat , followed by a sense of suffocation . Keen , poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward through every fibre of his body and limbs . These pains appeared to ...
... seemed to him - by the pain of a sharp pressure upon his throat , followed by a sense of suffocation . Keen , poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward through every fibre of his body and limbs . These pains appeared to ...
Page 644
... seemed the loneliest spot in the whole house . He had gone up there after his solitary luncheon , served in the immense marble dining- room by a footman on the same scale , and had tried to occupy himself with pasting post - cards into ...
... seemed the loneliest spot in the whole house . He had gone up there after his solitary luncheon , served in the immense marble dining- room by a footman on the same scale , and had tried to occupy himself with pasting post - cards into ...
Contents
WILLIAM CAXTON | 6 |
WILLIAM ROPER | 21 |
THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER | 23 |
Copyright | |
115 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
appeared arms asked beauty become began believe better body called carried coming course dark death desire door English eyes face fall father fear feel felt friends give half hand head hear heard heart hope human Italy keep kind king knew Lady least leave less light live London look Lord manner matter means mind morning moved nature never night once passed perhaps person play poor present reason rest round seemed seen sense short side sometimes soon sort sound speak stand streets sure talk tell things thought told took trees true turned voice walked whole window wish woman write young
References to this book
Victorian Culture and Society: The Essential Glossary Adam Charles Roberts No preview available - 2003 |
L'Afrique peut-elle s'en sortir?: pourquoi l'aide publique ne marche pas Robert Calderisi Limited preview - 2006 |